Garia Auto Molestation Case: Accused Driver’s License Suspended

Kolkata: Lalbazar has suspended the licence of auto driver Iman Ali Khan (52), who was accused of molesting a 49-year-old woman inside his auto on February 8, for the next six months. The auto, however, can run if it is driven by somebody else.

Cops said the action was taken after the victim’s son Samya Dutta raised questions on why the auto was not being seized and how could the accused get bail a day after he was sent to judicial custody.

“The police wanted to send out a message that they were serious about the investigation. They also wanted to ensure that the victim understood thatshe was heading the right direction. This is why the decision to temporarily suspend the licence was taken by the local Netaji Nagar police station,” said a senior investigating officer from south suburban division. The Tollygunge-Garia auto union, however, denied any such claim and said they had not received any information about Khan’s licence being suspended.

Dutta said : “The action will help us believe that cops are serious about the case. This action has come as a major relief for us. We will also meet the chief minister.”

The police also assured Dutta that they would be available whenever the family needed their help. The auto union has apparently promised the police that they would not be involved in any untoward incident involving the victim’s family but insisted Khan was innocent.
The Regent Park Traffic Guard has already started taking action against errant auto drivers on the Garia-Tollygunge and Garia-Boral routes.

“We have been instructed to compound all traffic offences against errant auto drivers found indulging in offences, such as traffic-light jumping or blocking the thoroughfare by illegally parking their vehicles. Drivers on these routes have been slapped with fines as high as Rs 500-Rs 1,000 instead of regular challans Rs 100 ,” said a senior officer.